Do Italian Greyhounds Overheat?

And they loooove hot weather! No surprise, they’re ITALIAN greyhounds, hot weather and sunbathing is in their blood, right?! 🌈 

Anyhow, it’s not always rainbows & butterflies when it’s really hot outside. Italian Greyhounds do overheat and get a really bad sunstroke, if kept exposed to a direct or indirect sun for too long with no preventive measures. Even when it’s only a bit above 80°F or 27°C, iggies can catch a sunstroke.

We have prepared a brief, yet crucial overview on how to recognize a sunstroke, what to do if your Iggy overheats and how to avoid it. 

Let the summer be for fun & games, not for emergency vet appointments! ☀️

Prevention is the key! Save your Italian greyhound from getting overheated

During hot summer days, be mindful about your Iggy’s health. It’s not that tricky to prevent overheating!

• Do not keep your Iggy exposed to direct sun for more than 30 minutes when it’s over 80°F or 27°C degrees
• Make sure your Italian Greyhound always has access to clean & cool water
• Make some frozen treats: your Iggy will be happy, safe & delighted!
• Place a cooling mat or a simple cold-wet towel. It’s a pure pleasure to lay on it when it’s hot outside
• Use a spray with cold water to freshen the fur and head
• Do not over-exercise and keep fair breaks between intense playing to get the heart-rate back to normal every 10 minutes
• Check the paws from-time-to-time, especially when walking on concrete or sand. If you can’t walk barefoot on a surface as it’s too hot, make sure your doggo doesn’t have to walk too long as well!
• Never ever leave your dog inside a car alone. Even if you keep air-conditioning on, don’t leave your doggo alone. You never know what might happen while you quickly went to get some ice-cream...

Signs that a dog is overheated and got a sunstroke

I truly hope this will never happen for your and your Italian Greyhound. However, act immediately in case you see any of the following symptoms:

• Excessive panting
• Heavy breathing
• Loss of energy
• Disorientation
• Vomiting & diarrhea
• Higher than normal body temperature (103°F / 39,5°C)

Cooling an overheated dog

Overheating can actually cause seizure and irreversibly damage the organs, therefore it is a must to act swiftly. In case you recognize that your Italian greyhound may got a sunstroke, don’t snooze! 

• Bring a dog to a cooler place
• Give cold (but not an ice cold!) water
• Wet some towels with a cold (but not too cold!) water and put it on your dog as well as between the legs. Once the towel gets lukewarm, replace it with a new one
• Constantly keep wiping the face and head with a cool water
• Contact your vet. It is crucial to get a professional consultation as overheating is a real threat to Iggy’s life
• Keep an eye on your Italian Greyhound to see if it gets better. If not, contact the vet again. Better safe than sorry.

By the way, make sure to always have a first-aid-kit for dogs at home! We put together a list what's the most important there. Check it out :)

May the summer bring joy & joy only! 🌈 ☀️

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Always consult with a professional in case a dog does not feel well.